Save the Sound: Earth Day Cleanups

0:00Save the Sound is rallying volunteers for Earth Day clean-ups along the Long Island Sound, aiming to haul away thousands of pounds of trash from, beaches and parks in Connecticut and New York. The kickoff hits April 18th from 10.30 a.m. to noon, with another round April 26th from noon to 2.00 p.m. at spots like Long Wharf Inn, New Haven, Harbor Island Park in Maroneck, and Harbor Front Park in Port Jefferson. Last year, 2004-14 volunteers scooped up 11,541 pounds of debris across 98 sites. The biggest culprits stay the same year after year. Sigarette butts, food wrappers, bottle caps, and tiny plastic bits topping the list for the past. Nine years? These efforts pack a punch beyond just cleanup. They shield wildlife from tangled fishing lines and toxic leachettes while gathering data shared with, ocean conservancies, global reports, that intel drives policy winds, like Connecticut's plastic bag band slashing fines from triple digits to under 10 per event.

1:04The group has run these spring and fall drives since 2002, expanding across the sound region as trash piles up post-beach season. Bands on polystyrene and helium balloons are next on their push list, targeting debris that harms birds and sea life. Anyone can sign up at saythesound.org, grab gloves, close toe shoes, water, and dive in. Every back filled and counted builds momentum for cleaner waters ahead. That's the story for today, Hartford News Today, driven by AI. I'm Corey with the story.